Monthly Archive for January, 2008

One Pound At A Time

Published
by
Cathy
on January 21, 2008
in Weight Loss and Maintenance
. 0 Comments

“Mountains DO Move…One Stone at a Time.” - Rick Benetau

In working with clients, I hear many times “I only lost X amount of pounds.”  ONLY?  One pound is great.  Multiply that by numerous pounds consistently and you have reached goal.  That’s why I love this quote.  You can move mountains, one stone at a time.  There’s also a Chinese Proverb about walking 1,000 miles begins with a single step.  In order to reach your weight loss goal, one pound lost adds to another and then another.  Go to the grocery store and carry around a five pound bag of an item.  You’ll be tired and glad to put it down.  Every pound counts and is cause for you to feel proud!

Celebrate every single pound you lose.  By changing your lifestyle, you’ll never see that pound again! 

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

The Person Responsible For Your Success

Published
by
Cathy
on January 20, 2008
in Motivation and Inspiration
. 0 Comments

I saw this article and LOVE it.  I needed the reminder for myself so I’m sharing it with you……Believe In Yourself, Cathy

The Person Responsible for Your Success
by Jack Canfield

It’s time to meet the person who has been responsible for the life you live right now.

This person has created your income, your debt, your relationships, your health, your fitness level, your weight, your attitudes and your behaviors. Who is it? To introduce yourself, just walk to the closest mirror and say hello! This person is you!

Although one of the popular myths out there is that “external factors” determine how you live, the truth of the matter is that you are in complete control of the quality of your life.

It’s time to look at the life you’ve created and determine what is working and what is not. Certainly there are wonderful things happening in your life, whether it’s your job, your spouse, your grades, your children, your friends, or your income level.

Congratulate yourself on these successes; you are creating them for yourself! And then take a look at what isn’t working out so well. What are you doing or not doing to create those experiences?

It’s time to stop blaming outside factors for your unhappiness.

When you realize that you create your experiences, you’ll realize that you can un-create them and create new experiences whenever you want. But you must take responsibility for your happiness and your unhappiness, your successes and your failures, your good times and your bad times. When you stop blaming, you can take that energy and redirect to focus on creating a better situation for yourself. Blaming only ties up your energy.

It’s also time to stop complaining.

Look at what you are complaining about. Really examine it. More than likely it is something that you can do something about.

Are you unhappy about something that is happening? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable to you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain? Face the facts that you can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.

Successful people take 100% responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images that visualize and the actions they take.

They don’t waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.

Taking responsibility requires you to first decide to believe that you create all your experiences. Second, to pay attention to yourself, your behavior, and your life experiences. And last, to face the truth and deal with what is not working in your life. You have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want.

Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?

Commit to taking 100% responsibility for your every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you’ll discover it is much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!

Be True To You

Published
by
Cathy
on January 19, 2008
in Believe In Yourself!
. 0 Comments

There is no one else like you!  You are unique, special, and one-of-a-kind.  It is so important to be who you are.  If you try to be someone else besides yourself, you’ll not be congruent to who you are.  Be true to your values and life purpose.  Think of someone you highly respect.  Give that same respect to yourself.  Be true to yourself.   Be a light unto yourself.

My very favorite quote is “This above all, to thine own self be true.”  Live your very best life and be true to yourself.  That is the ultimate happiness you’ll ever know.

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

Fab Abs!

Published
by
Cathy
on January 18, 2008
in Exercise, Movement & Activity
. 0 Comments

Do you perform abdominal crunches correctly?  Ask your trainer or knowledgeable friend to check out your crunch form.  Here are some crunch “how to” items to keep in mind:

* Keep your lower back pressed firmly against the floor through the entire exercise.

*  Keep your neck and head in a neutral position.  Do not bend your neck forward as you crunch upward.  To keep your neck stable, imagine you are gripping a grapefruit between your chin and upper chest.

* If you clasp your hands behind your head, don’t move your elbows inward as you crunch.  If you are a beginning cruncher, you may find it easier to keep your arms straight at your sides or folded across your chest.

* Focus on tightening the top section of your abdominal muscles to perform the crunch.

* Strive to lift your shoulder blades off the floor.  You are NOT looking for a big, dramatic motion.  A slight lift rather than a jerky upward motion is your goal.

Feeling the tightening of your abdominal muscles is a great feeling! 

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

Inside Out

Published
by
Cathy
on January 17, 2008
in Believe In Yourself!
. 0 Comments

I am focused on Inside Out coaching and I LOVE it.  It is such fulfilling and rewarding work for all of us to live our best lives.

“It’s what’s inside that makes the difference.” –Lance Armstrong

Work on your INSIDE and the outside will take care of itself!

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

Your Thoughts Create Your Happiness

Published
by
Cathy
on January 16, 2008
in Motivation and Inspiration
. 1 Comment

“The only limitation in your life is the limitation of your own thinking.”–James A. Ray

In many ways, we are what we think about.  What are you saying to yourself in that running tape of thoughts that play over and over in your mind?  We have 60,000 thoughts a day.  For the average person, 80% of those thoughts are negative.  95% of the thoughts you have today are the same as yesterday’s thoughts.

Just as you can change a cd in your cd player, you can change the cd of those negative thoughts that you listen to every day.  Just because you have a thought doesn’t mean it is true.  Change your thoughts, change your life.  If you think negatively of yourself, the result is low self-esteem.  Negative thinking is merely a habit.  Habits can be broken.  Create the habit of positive, encouraging thoughts about yourself.

One of the number one happiness robbing thoughts is “I’m not good enough.”  How many of us think that we aren’t enough?  Every thought we have creates happiness or degress of unhappiness. 

Pay attention to your self-talk.  What are you saying to yourself?  When you catch any negative thoughts you have about yourself, challenge them.  Ask yourself if the negative thought is really true.  What proof do you have that this negative thought is true?  I would guess that when you really challenge yourself to think it through, you’ll find the negative thoughts don’t have a solid foundation or base of fact.  Stop and turn them around into something more positive and accurate.  Rather than thinking you aren’t good enough, acknowledge the many, many areas and things that you are good at.  List five things every day that you have done that prove that you are more than good enough.

Your thoughts create your happiness.  Choose happiness and be happy.

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

Protein Packed Lunches

Published
by
Cathy
on January 15, 2008
in Nutrition
. 0 Comments

It’s important to eat a lunch that is high in protein.  If you find yourself getting into a lunch rut, here are some protein-rich meals you can try for a change of pace to lunch routine:

*An omelette.  If you want a lower fat version, use egg whites only (such as Egg Beaters).  Fill it up with vegetables for crunch and chunks of meat or cheese to add flavor and even more protein.

*A green salad or spinach salad that features meat, cheese, and/or eggs.  Other salad alternatives are Greek, Caesar with grilled chicken, Cobb or lean meat Chef salad.

* Leftovers from dinner.  Sliced or shredded beef or chicken can be used in sandwiches, salads, or even by itself for tasty lunch options.

* Canned chicken mixed with light mayo, celery, hard boiled eggs, and a taste of sweet relish for a high protein chicken salad.

Break out of your lunch routine and try new things to avoid lunchtime boredom.  Let your creativity flow into lunch masterpieces!

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

Your Battery Power

Published
by
Cathy
on January 14, 2008
in Motivation and Inspiration
. 1 Comment

How many holiday gifts required batteries?  Toys, electronics, it seems as though everything needs batteries…..even us!

Batteries not included.  That’s the disclaimer that most items carry letting us know that we are responsible for our own batteries and energy to operate the item.  That’s a great description of our lives.  We must create our own energy, our own momentum, our own drive within ourselves.  We have to power our own dreams and lives.  We are responsible and accountable for our own power.  You take your plans and make them happen.  We can’t wait for someone else to lift you up and take you where you want to go or do it for you.  It won’t happen.  Besides, you want to do it on your OWN power.  You need to supply your own batteries whether for your gadgets and toys or your life.

As we know, there are battery rechargers to keep our batteries fresh and reusable.  Just like in our lives.  We can recharge our personal batteries and our own energy by engaging in certain activities that regenerate us.  We can also recharge from people in our lives such as our family, friends, or life coach.  Certain people in your life can assist in the regenerating recharging of your batteries.  

When I feel my inner batteries are in red and I need a recharge, I go outside.  I take a walk and enjoy the little wow things I see that I’d miss if I were driving in a car.  The other day, a lady bug landed on my hand and stayed there for a long time.  Listening to a motivational speaker that I value and respect is another way that I charge my battery.  Sitting on the deck watching the birds talking with my sons about their day is an instant boost of energy to my inner battery. 

What healthy ways do you use to keep your battery fresh and charged? 

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

Going Through The Motions? Play!

Published
by
Cathy
on January 13, 2008
in Make 1 Change
. 1 Comment

Does it seem that you go through your days going through the motions?  We have our routines which, of course, are important.  Routine provides structure to get things done that we need to accomplish.  However, living on auto-pilot and merely going through the motions can get boring.  Give yourself a break and play!

Do at least one thing for fun this week.  Feel fully alive!  Play with a puppy, read a book, watch a favorite movie, feed the pigeons, have a pillow fight, jump on the bed, anything….have some fun!  You’ll live your life deeper and definitely make the life you have more rewarding.  Make one change for this week and play!  Have fun and ENJOY!

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy

Are You Missing Out?

Published
by
Cathy
on January 12, 2008
in Weight Loss and Maintenance
. 0 Comments

In a recent session with a client, he told me whenever he was faced with wanting to eat something that he knew was not a healthy food choice,  he usually ate it anyway so he wouldn’t “miss out.”   He made the decision to eat the item so he wouldn’t feel deprived and miss out on the enjoyment of eating it.

To lose weight and maintain, we focus our lives in a way that WE control our food rather than food controlling us.  Food controls us when we make choices we know we will regret or are not in our best interests.  If we change our view of “missing out,” we do not miss out at all in the ways that are important.  Not at all!  Yes, we may miss out on some temporary, fleeting pleasure of eating a food item.  The longer lasting pleasure of saying “no” to an item or binge is to be an adult in making a wise food choice rather than feed the temper tantrum child in us that wants the item “now.”  We don’t miss out on the activities that we would if we feel badly about ourselves and our body, miss out by isolating, and miss out on our life. 

When you make the choice to “miss out” on a tempting food item, you choose to live a fuller, happier life in a body that works efficiently for you that you are proud of.

The next time you don’t want to miss out on a food item, remember the things in your life that you would miss being overweight and feeling badly about yourself.  Instead, be proud and make the choice NOT to miss your life.

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy